1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to apparatus and systems used to provide water and/or other nutrient/liquid to container-grown plants, specifically to a self-contained and self-watering planter assembly comprising a fluid-containing planter housing (preferably downwardly tapering for a traditional look and efficient stacking during transport and storage, but not limited thereto), a tray with a bottom surface having perforations and a size that allows it to fit within (or substantially within) the upper portion of the planter housing, a tray support sized and configured to fit within the bottom reservoir portion of the planter housing without taking up a large percentage of reservoir volume that could otherwise be used to hold nutrient/liquid, at least one layer of fluid-permeable material sized and positioned to cover the perforations in the tray's bottom surface and also having a hole for each wicking member used, and at least one wicking member having a minimum length dimension that allows it to extend between the bottom reservoir portion of the planter housing and the tray for one-way transport of nutrient/liquid from the planter housing to the tray, with additional length and positioning that allows the wicking member (or members collectively) to provide even distribution of nutrient/liquid within the tray.
The planter housing also has at least one overfill prevention hole through its side wall that defines the bottom reservoir portion of the planter housing by preventing nutrient/liquid therein from moving upwardly through tray perforations and into the plant root interior of the tray where it could over-saturate and injure plant roots. The tray also has interior lifting means near its top edge, preferably but not limited to two opposed handles configured for prompt and easy tray removal from, and replacement within, the upper portion of the planter housing with little disruption to the plants rooted in the tray. Use of the lifting members precludes the need for pliers or other grasping tools to provide a strong grip on the edges of the tray to lift it securely and in a balanced manner away from its position of use within the upper portion of the planter housing. Once the tray support (a frame insert as shown in the accompanying illustrations, or other) is placed within the planter housing, lowering of the tray into the planter housing causes it to become positioned atop the support, which preferably allows the tray to become situated imperceptibly within the planter housing's upper portion. Should a frame insert be used to support the tray and the elevation of the tray is considered to high for the type of plant used in the tray or the application, the legs of the frame insert (typically made from plastic for use in smaller planter housings) can be easily shortened (for example, by use of a cutting tool, garden shears, or a multiple scored-and-snap arrangement) to provide a lowered and more suitable tray elevation. In larger planter housings of the present invention and according to the type of plant grown and plant growth/medium used, a tray support with a sturdier construction may be required to support the increased weight of the plants and plant growth/support medium potentially present. In outdoor applications, the fluid-permeable material positioned under the plant growth/support medium, and over the tray's bottom perforations, allows surplus rainwater entering the tray, and not immediately needed by plant roots, to enter and refill the bottom reservoir portion of the planter housing via the tray's perforations and without soil infiltration into the nutrient/liquid held within the planter housing, with the at least one elongated wicking member being responsible for upward nutrient/liquid transfer from the planter housing and into the tray. Wicking members are typically presoaked prior to use to prevent delay in transfer of nutrient/liquid to the plants rooted in the tray. Also, plant roots may be in plant growth/support medium distributed directly into the tray, or in one or more drainable pots supported by the tray.
The planter assembly of the present invention is self-contained, low-maintenance, and provides a significantly longer self-watering time period for a plant (or plants) having roots supported in the tray than is obtainable from all known prior art self-watering systems in current use today for container-grown plants. Since the present invention planter assembly is self-contained, no connections for power or water are needed for its function, expanding the number of locations where it can be used. Inspection of the water level in the bottom reservoir portion of the planter housing may be conducted every few months by promptly and easily lifting and replacing the tray, with nutrient/liquid being added, or other maintenance action taken, according to need. Furthermore, planter housing and tray volumes in the present invention are selected to provide a nutrient/liquid-to-soil ratio between approximately 2:1 and approximately 4:1. In the most preferred embodiments of the present invention self-watering planter assembly where a nutrient/liquid-to-soil ratio of 4:1 is used, the self-watering time for plants grown indoors is at least two to three months. However, longer self-watering time periods have been demonstrated for plants with low fluid requirements and present invention planter assemblies located outdoors and situated to receive at least occasional rainwater replenishment. Applications include, but are not limited to, residential and commercial use, including hotels and other commercial buildings, hospitals, convention centers, college campuses and other educational facilities, shopping malls, lobbies, hallways and stair landings, decorative entrances to public and private buildings and other property, including parks and parking garages.
2. Description of the Related Art
People enjoy having plants as a part of their surroundings, but depending upon their location, container-grown plants may require a lot of maintenance. In heated and air-conditioned buildings, humidity is generally low, and more frequent watering of indoor plants is typically needed. Furthermore, indoor temperature, sunlight level, air drafts, and positioning near a door that subjects a plant to frequently changing local conditions, can have a significant affect on a plant's need for water and nutrients, and lead to additional time spent on planter monitoring and/or maintenance. Container-grown plants that are located outdoors and in patio areas can be subjected to even more variation in ambient temperature, sunlight level, and air movement, all of which will affect plant moisture requirements. The goal of the present invention is to provide a means of eliminating the daily labor that would otherwise be needed to keep container-grown plants and flowers properly irrigated for optimal appearance and growth, and also provide a significantly longer self-watering time period than is obtainable from all prior art self-watering systems currently sold for container-grown plants. While irrigation devices and systems are known for container-grown plants, no device or system is known with the same structure, wicking system, a removable tray with interior lifting means near its top edge, support means for the tray having a means for prompt and easy elevation adjustment, and/or all of the other features and advantages resulting from present invention structure and use.
The prior art invention thought to be the closest to the present invention is disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication 2008/0303002A1 to Schmidt (Dec. 11, 2008), which also provides a means of automated irrigation for a planter. However, there are many important structural differences between the Schmidt invention and the present invention, which allow the present invention structure to provide advantages that the Schmidt invention cannot. Although the present invention has residential application, one of the important considerations for the present invention planter assembly relates to its self-contained use in public areas. Thus, design considerations for the present invention include inconspicuous/discreet features and components that are less likely to be disturbed by the curious or unkind public, including reservoir replenishment via tray perforations instead of the exposed irrigator 30 and fill tube 52 of the Schmidt invention that in FIG. 5 of its disclosure are shown to extend above the plant/growth medium. Toward this same goal, present invention tray lifting handles are made unobtrusive and do not extend upwardly above the top edge of the tray.
In addition, the embodiment of the Schmidt invention illustrated in FIG. 5, with its plant substrate above its water supply volume, shows two vertically-oriented spacers 51 and 51′ positioned in the bottom of a planter, and a horizontally-extending plate 50 supported upon the spacers 51 and 51′ that define a bottom volume usable as a water supply volume, while the space above plate 50 holds the substrate for supporting plant roots. Without perforations in its plate 10, the Schmidt invention cannot take advantage of rainwater replenishment for its reservoir to provide extended maintenance-free use, one of the main goals of outdoor embodiments of the present invention. The Schmidt invention also uses a moisture sensor connected to a miniature irrigator 30 that cycles water from the water supply volume to the substrate only when a minimum moisture threshold is reached. Instead, the wicking member (or members) of the present invention provide even and sufficient moisture for optimal growth of plants in the tray until moisture saturation is reached, thus over-watering is prevented and at a reduced cost compared to the more complex structure of the Schmidt invention.
Furthermore, Schmidt's fill tube 52 provides a small diameter conduit for water replenishment (much less surface area than the present invention provides to take advantage of rainwater replenishment for its nutrient or water-filled reservoir), and the proportion of water to substrate in the embodiment of the Schmidt invention shown in FIG. 5 is approximately 1:1. In contrast, the present invention has a preferred fluid-to-soil preferred ratio is 4:1, with a minimum ratio of 2:1, which increases the length of time between inspections and maintenance. Furthermore, the Schmidt growth medium, water, spacers 51 and 51′, and horizontal plate 50 are all separate elements assembled into a planter, and each would have to be individually removed therefrom when cleaning of the planter is needed or desired, and soil and plant/root disruption would also occur. In contrast, removal and replacement of the present invention tray and frame insert are fast and easy for maintenance/inspection purposes, saving material and labor cost in commercial applications, a benefit not provided by the Schmidt invention. In addition, legs of the easily height-adjustable frame insert when used in the present invention planter housing to support the plant-holding tray, may be cut in a minute or less for repositioning of the tray, while dismantling the plate and spacers of the Schmidt invention would take much longer to substitute new spacers having a different configuration or size. Furthermore, the overfill prevention hole in the side of the present invention planter housing defines the top of the reservoir and the maximum amount of nutrient/liquid that can be stored. In contrast, in the Schmidt invention its non-perforated plate 50 defines the top of its reservoir. No other planter assembly is known that functions in the same manner as the present invention, has the same structure disclosed herein, or provides all of the present invention's important advantages.